Page 20 of Till Death Us Do Part
A half-hour later, a knock on the door brought a line of servants carrying buckets of steaming water, followed by a young girl of sixteen, who curtsied. “Molly Hatcher, ma’am. I am to be your maid for the next few days.”
Elizabeth curtsied as well. “Molly, I shall hope we can be friends or at least refrain from strangling each other.”
Much to her relief, Molly giggled. “I can safely say I have not strangled a single gentlewoman this week, or even this year.”
Elizabeth laughed and wondered about the girl’s history. By the time they exchanged pleasantries, the hip bath was filled with what little water it was likely to get. It was small, but considering it was the first bath in several days of dusty travelling, she was content enough.
Molly was a pleasant girl and lively conversationist. Elizabeth quickly bathed before the water cooled, while Molly took her dress out to be brushed as well as could be done.
When Elizabeth was out of the bath, and dressed in her night clothes, Molly braided her hair for sleep. When that was done, she bade the young maid to sit for the same treatment.
“Oh, no, miss! You seem confused about the duties of maid and mistress.”
Elizabeth chuckled grimly. “You seem confused about our relative roles. I am not your mistress. I am simply another traveller, and you are with us to maintain propriety. For the next two days, can we just be two women travelling together? The roles of servant and mistress are too confining, and I fear—”
She stopped herself just before confessing that of the two of them, Molly was the superior in terms of freedom of movement. There was no profit in that course.
“Let us just say it is unnecessary.”
Molly looked uncertain, so Elizabeth just took her shoulders gently, turned her towards the mirror and helped her undress.
“Fear not, Molly. I have four sisters, though I am quite cross with all of them just now. I am well accustomed to this, so do not fret.”
A quarter hour later both ladies were composed for sleep. There was a narrow cot in the room that looked about as comfortable as a woodpile, so Elizabeth suggested they share the bed, which had plenty of room.
With a sigh, she blew out the remaining candles and went to sleep—eventually.
Elizabeth heard the knock on the door well before dawn. She had no dressing gown, so just opened it in her shift and stood behind it to cover herself. A young girl of around fourteen introduced herself as the innkeeper’s daughter and handed her a hamper of food and her dress, brushed and cleaner looking.
She returned to find Molly stretching, so the two quickly helped each other dress, and were sitting on the bed when Mr Baker came for them.
He ushered them downstairs, and into a waiting carriage. The conveyance was nothing much to look at, and once they started moving, Elizabeth could tell it had nothing much to boast of comfort-wise, but it wassmall, light, and moved fast. They could not make quite as good of time as the post, since that conveyance changed horses every ten miles, but it was, according to Mr Baker, fast enough to have them at Longbourn in two days.
Mr Baker chose to ride with the coachman instead of sitting inside, which Elizabeth assumed was an attempt to further protect her precious reputation. She was beginning to think the entire ‘reputation’ issue was the bane of her existence, but she was happy not to have to put up with the miserable excuse of a man.
Looking for some diversion, she asked, “Molly, how did you come to take this particular job?”
The young girl showed no shyness, which Elizabeth enjoyed.
“I have been caring for my ailing mother this last year or more. She passed a month ago, and I am trying to gain better employment. I have hopes of becoming a maid at one of the great estates, but it takes time. The innkeeper keeps track of people seeking positions, so he suggested me for the task.”
Elizabeth smiled and cautiously asked, “What are you told of the job?”
“Almost nothing, ma’am. I do not even know your name. I just know you need a maid to go with you. I do not really understand why I can take a carriage or even the mail back by myself, but you cannot.”
Elizabeth grumbled. “It is just how society works. It is ridiculous, but it is as it is. I am worried about you returning by yourself, though. Itis,in fact, more than a little dangerous.”
“Mr Baker said that he would find a safe way for me to travel, either with another maid, or with a couple; or he might even send me back in this coach. He seems to know how to get things done.”
“He certainly does.”
They both sat in silence for some time, and Elizabeth asked, “Can you read? If so, we could speak of what you have read.”
She felt like an absolute cretin when Molly replied, “No, ma’am. My father thought it a waste to teach a girl much of anything, and with four brothers… well—”
She looked embarrassed, and Elizabeth felt low as a worm, so she asked, “Would you like to learn?”
“Is it possible?”
